Machine



W. W. VINCENT.

WIRE FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. 19I8.

' Patented g- 19, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

""HHI I L IN W. W. VINCENT.

WIRE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1918.

1 9 3 1-3, 509 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

/ 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. W. VINCENT.

WIRE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. 1918.

1 13,509. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. W. VINCENT.

WIRE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. 1913. 1 ,3 1 3, 59 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

' as w W567 2:

W. W. VINCENT.

WIRE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. 1918.

1,313,599. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

94 H i 5 @191 106 I I I 1 dd/Zea? M67771? tINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

winnmm w. VINCENT, or KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE vmciinr-nwlmnCOMPANY, or mosrm, wrsconsm, A comeomrron or wrscorrsm.

WIRE-FORMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Applicationfiled September 7, 1918. Serial No. 252,999.

tain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Forming Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention pertains to machines for crimping or forming wire elementsor sections and concerns more particularly, but not exclusively,appliances of this general character for automatically producingcorrugated or crimped Wire members from a supply roll of Wire withsuitably-shaped sharpened ends adapted to be driven into the frameworkof a piece of furniture and support the upright spiral-springs, such forexample, as are employed in the seats of chairs, couches, and the like.

One object of the invention is the production of a machine of thischaracter capable of adjustment whereby the lengths of the severedblanks may be regulated or changed and variations permitted in thenumber of corrugations in the preferred embodiment of the invention areproduced in wire blanks by intermeshing toothed wheels. provided withautomatically-acting means to cause them to mesh and separate or becometemporarily inactive or. inoperative, whereby, unrrimped ends may beprovided in the wires. 'lnese crimping wheels are controlled as to theirmovements by cammeans capable of regulation or adjustment to vary orchange the number of corrugations per blank. The appliance also hascutting and feading means for cutting 03 thebl anks from the supply rollof wire,- and this is also susceptible of adjustment to modify thelengths of the blanks.

In connection with these-instrumentalities, there is also a press withsuitablyformed interchangeable dies for shaping'the ends or terminalportions of the wires. All

of these parts of the mechanism work in proper timed relation to producethe desired results automatically, rapidly, and efficiently.

"A further aim of the invention is the pro-.

vision of a machine of this type whichcornprises but relatively fewparts, unlikely to become injured or damaged in service,'which can bemanufactured with comparatively small cost, and which is simple instructure and easily adjusted, some of its parts being 1 removable orinterchangeable to produce wires of radically dlflerent characteristicsas to size and shape.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full understanding ofthe invention and may appreciate its advantages from structural andfunctional standpoints, I have illustrated in the accompanyin draw--ings forming a part of this speci cation,

and throughout the various views of which 1 like reference charactersrefer to the same parts, a preferred and desirable embodiment of theinvention.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the same with .certain parts omitted Fig. 3 is a frontview of the appliance with certain elements shown in section; Fig. 4 isa fragmentary elevation with some of the parts shown in dotted lines;crimps or bends" in each Wlre section. These Fig. 5 is a transversesection through the appliance showing the conveyr or carrier for thewires and the press for shaping their ends- Fig. 6 shows one of the wireelements before its ends have been shaped or formed and Fig. 7 shows thecompleted product of the shaft23 revol-ubly supported in any approvedmanner and at its end opposite the feed-roll it has a spur-gear 24 inmesh with a similar gear 25 on the corresponding end portion of shaft 26on which the upper roller is fixed. I

The hearing or bearings 27 for this latter shaft are capable of verticalmovement as specified for the purpose indicated, being guided by thewalls of the supporting-frame sponding in adjusted and hence rotates thelatter.

. i recess 28. One or -more coil expansion springs 29 act upon thebearings of such upper shaft and its feed-roll, tending to raise them,the shaft and rooved roll, however, being ordinarily hel down to itswork of advancing the wire bysuitable means, to be described. I v

These feed-rolls, as well as'the remainder of the mechanism, are drivenby suitable instrumentalities comprising a shaft 30 revoluble inbearings 31, 31, and equip edwith two pulleys 32 and 33 both loose on te shaft, pulley 32 being rigid with a inion 51 also free to turn on theshaft and riving a gear '52 on the lower feed-roll shaft 23. In registerwith the pair of grooved feedrolls, and adapted to act on the wire ad-,

vanced thereby, I provide a pair of 006peratin toothed, wire crimping orcorrugating ,ro lers 43 and 47 mounte respectively on shafts 42 and 46connected together by intermeshing gears 44 and 45 (Fig; 4)

driven from shaft 23 by the intermediate or' idler gear 48 coacting withear 24.. As with the upper wire feed-r01, the' correcorrugating-roller47 is mounted for vertical play, the bearings for its shaft 46 beingvertically slidable and pressed upwardly by one or more expansionsprings 86, but ordinarily held down to its work by mechanism to be setforth.

Shaft 42 at one end is provided with a readily-removable orinterchangeable gear 41 meshing with an idler 35 mounted on a shortshaft 36 adjustable in a slot 38 of a sector .37 supported by andcapable of angular adjustment on shaft 42, eing maintained osition by ascrew 40 taking into a threa ed hole in the framework and extendedthrough a curved or arcuate slot 39 in the sector. drives the largergear 31 fixed to s aft 30 The shaft 30 is equipped with two, duplex,adjustable cams 53, 54 controlling and overning respectively the actionof the eed-rolls and wire-severing or cut-off device, and the crimpingor corrugating rollers By means of this construction allowingsubstitution of different sizes of gears 41 the ratio of the gearing maybe readily modified toeffect variation in the operation of the machine.

Cam'53 consists of two recessed or cam parts 55, 56, arranged side byside on the shaft and adjustable anglularly relatively to one another tomodify t e position and size of the combined cam recess, whereby themoment and period of non-activity of the wire feed-rolls and the actionof the cutting or severing device may be varied as circumstancesdictate. The lower end of a suitably-guided, vertical slide-bar 57 (Fi2) carries an appropriate cam roller 58 of sufficient length to overlieand cooperate with the two parts of the compound or duplex of up Theintermediate ear 35 ciated with a cross-head 69 guided by uprights 70, 70,-and carryin at its lower end a diagonally-arranged kni e-or cutter 71for severin blanks from the continuous strip y wire by coacting with astationary shear-member 72. Whenever this normallyinoperative clutch istripped to render it temporarily active, shaft 66 makes onecomlete-revolution and automatically stops, the ife or cutter performingone complete reci rocation and effecting the severing oporation. It isnecessary or desirable to stop the feed or advance of the wire supplyduring such cutting, and, accordingly, shaft 61 has an arm 73 rlgidtherewith provided with an adjustable screw 74, equipped with a locknut75, engaging a pro ection 76 carried by the slidin bearing or bearings27 of the upper wire eed-roll. As long as roller 58 is riding on thehigh part of the duplexcam 53, the feed-rolls will be held down in oerative engagement with the wire against t e pressure or lifting actionof spring or springs 29, tending to separate them, and during thisperiod the cutter will be out of action. When the depression or recessin the double-cam reaches the roller, the latter enters it, rocking arm73, permitting an automatic, temporary separation of the feedrolls, thusstopping t e wire feed, during which period of inaction the cuttersevere the wire. Soon afterward, however, the elevated portion of thecompound cam enga es the roller, raising it, thus again estab ishing thewire advance, during which condition the cutter does not act.

To control the operation of the crimping or corrugating rollersindependently of the Wire feeding and cutting,;shaft 30 is fitted withthe second, adjustable duplex-cam 54, substantially like the cam 53.This coiiperates with a roller 80"on a vertical slide-bar 81 connectedat its top end to a rock-lever 82 loose on shaft 61 and fitted at itsother laterally-extended end with adjustable screws 83, provided withlock-nuts 84, engaging projections or lugs 8-5 on the hearing members ofshaft 46 of the upper crimping-roller. Thus, when the recessed part ofthe cam comes under the roller, the upper crimping-roller by virtue ofthe action of spring or springs 86 rises sufficiently to sto the crimpinor comm nting operation, suc crimping roTler descen ing to operativeposition agaln as soon as the cam turns neath the cam-roller.

sufliciently to bring its elevated portion be- The machine is alsoequipped with means to receive these corrugated wire-sections andtransport them-laterally or transversely out of the path of travel ofthe oncoming wire to a suitable press for shaping or forming theiruncrimped ends whereby the complete product will appear and have theform as.

shown in Fig. 7. Any suitable style or character of mechanism ma beemployed for thispurpose and that lllustrated" and described below is tobe taken merely as an example of one way in which this work may bereadily accom lished.

@n two paralle shafts 90 and 91 mounted in suitable bearings forrotation, there are pairs of sprocket-wheels 92 and 93 coacting in theusual manner with a pair of parallel sprocket-chains 94 disposedcrosswlse the direction of feed of the supply wire and beyond thecut-off knife. These chains carry a plurality of parallel, spaced,grooved,

cradles or supports 95, each adapted to receive one of the crimped wiremembers asare of less length than the wire sections and receive onlytheir corrugated middle or tions, leaving their uncrimped or straight-end sections projecting therefrom at both ends. Such cradles and theirwires are stepped along intermittently, and in its travel each Wire isultimately brought into the press 97 whose properly-shaped die or pressblocks 98 and 99 are brought together by the usual mechanical means,thus de- V forming or shapinfiboth ends of the wire simultaneously. T soperation, of course, occurs during the periods of rest of the conveyer,the press acting successively on the various wires as will be readilyunderstood. The details of construction of this press it has been deemedunnecessary to present, it being only required to employ anysuitableoperating means acting in proper timed relation to other parts of themechanism. The

die blocks are removable or interchangeable so that desired wireproducts of different shapes may be readily produced. After passingthrough the press, as the cradles travel downwardly around thesprocketwheel's, the wire members are automatically dro ped from themachine.

0 effect the required ste by step action of the conveyer or carrier, saft 90 by intermeshing bevel-gears 100 and 101 is operatively associatedwith the j ask-shaft 102 actuated intermittently by a cam 103 on shaft30 reciprocating a bar 104 by means of a cam-roller 105 traveling in thegroove of the cam, the bar rocking an arm 106 loose on wardly by shaft102 and equipped with a pawl 107 00- operating with a ratchet-wheel 108fixed 'on shaft 102.

The mode of operation of the appliance takes place practically asfollows: he continuous wire supply is fed forand between the groovedfeedrolls, during which period the advance portion of the wire iscrimped or corrugated by the registerin interfi-tting toothed rollers,both the fee -rolls and the corrugating rollers being power-driven.These crimping rollers, of course, come into action and terminate theircorrugating functions at the proper time by reason of their camcontrolled approach toward and separation from one another. At theproper moment the feed-rolls separate, thus stopping the wire. feed, theclutch-becomes momentarily operative and causes the severance of theadvanced crimped length of wire which now resides in one of the cradlesor supportsof the conveyer. The latter immediately carries the severedwire transversely out of the way, the feed of the supply wire isresumed,

and the cycle of operations repeated indefinitely. l/Vhen the severedwire, in its intermittent travel, reaches the press, and during aninterval of rest, this portion of the mechanism acts to shape its ends.When the now completely shaped wire passes over the return bend of theendless conveyer it falls out of its cradle, thus being delivered ordischarged from the machine.

One feature of importance of this machine is its capability ofadjustment for the production of wires of diiferent lengths and withvariable numbers of crimps or corrugations, the press also having thecapacity for shaping ends into difierent forms, as may be required. Aswill be readily understood, the wire feed and the amount or extent ofcrimping is controlled by the adjustable duplex-cams governing thesefunctions. Also the operation of the machine may be modified bysubstituting for the near 41 one of a different number of teeth, thenumber of such teeth being that required in each instance to provideeach wire section with the desired number of complete corrugations. Whenthus interchanging such gears it may be necessary to substitute adifferent size idler 35 but thisis easily accomplished by reason of thefeature of the adjustable support for such intermediate gear. In thedevice as shown, the press would require different or adjustable dieblocks for wires of different lengths and shapes, but obviously, thissubstitution could be made changes may be made in the structure setforthwithout departure from the heart and essence of the invention andwithout the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

I claim: a

1. In a wire-forming machine of'the character described, the combinationof means to feed a wire supply, means to sever said supply into lengths,means to crimp the' wire comprising a palr of corrugated roll-- acterdescribed, the combination of means to crim the wire comprisin a pair ofcorrugated rollers between which the wire passes, and adjustableautomatically-acting means to cause said rollers to a proach one anotherand to separate to ren or them operative and inoperative on the wire,substantially as described.

In a wire-forming machine of the character described, the combination ofmeans to feed a wire supply, means to sever said supply into lengths,means, to crim the wire comprising a pair of corrugate ers between whichthe wire passes, and adjustable cam means controlling the approach ofsaid rollers toward one another and their separation to render themoperative and inoperative on the wire, thus permitting variations in thenumber of crimps put in each section of the wire, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a Wire-forming machine of the character described, the combinationof means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said supply into lengths,means to crim the wire comprising a pair of corrugate rollers betweenwhich the wire pasges, spring means tending to separate said rollers,and adjustable cam means controlling the relative positions of saidrollers rendering them operative and inoperative on the wire, thuspermitting variation in the number of crimps put in each section of thewire, substantially as described.

5. In a wire-forming machine of the character described, the combinationof powerdriven feed-rollers'to advance a wire-supply, means to seversaid supply into lengths, means to crimp the wire comprising a pair ofpower-driven corrugated rollers between 'which the wire passes, andadjustalflemeans controlling the approach of said rollers-toward oneanother and their separation to render them operative and inoperative onthe wire, thus permitting variations of the num'ner of crimps put ineach section of the wire, substantially as described.

6. In a wire-forming machine of the charroll- "to shape the uncrimpelaterally-moved wire sections while the latacter described, thecombination of intermittently-operative power-driven feed-rollersadapted to advance a wire-supply, adjustable means to vary the period ofaction of said rollers, means to sever said wire'supply lengths duringthe periods of inaction of said feed-rollers, a pair of corrugatedrollers to crimp the wire passing between them, and means to render saidrollers operative and inoperative upon said w1re, whereby to vary thenumber of crim s put in each section of the wire, substantially asdescribed.

7 In a wire-forming machine of the character described, the combinationof means to feed a wire supply, means to sever said supply into sectionsdiagonally to provide sharp ends, means to adjust the action of saidfeeding means to modify the lengths of the severed sections, means tocrim the wire comprising a pair of corrugate rollers between WhlCh thewire passes, adjustable means to cause said rollers to approach oneanother and to separate to render them operative and inoperative on thewire, thus permitting variations in the number of crimps put in eachsection of the wire, means to intermittentl feed the severed wiresections transverse y to their lengths and prevent them from tiltin,.andmeans to bend end portions of such ter are stationary, substantially asdescribed.

8.. In a wire-forming machine of the character described, thecombination of means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said supplyfin to lengt s, means to crimp the wire comprising a pair of corrugatedrollers between which the wire passes, automaticallyacting means tocause said rollers to approach one another and to separate to renderthem operative and inoperatlve on the wire,

gearing controlling the action of said auto-- maticall -acting means,and means permitting a c ange of gear ratio of said gearing to modifythe action of said cnmping means, substantially as described.

9. In a wire-forming machine of the character described, the combinationof means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said supply into lengths,means to crimp the wire comprising a pair of corrugated rollers be-.

tween which the wire passes, adjustalble automatically-acting means tocause said rollers to approach one another and to separate to renderthem operative and inoperatlve on the wire, gearing controlling theaction of said adjustable means, and means permitting a change of gearratio of said gearing to modif the action of said crimping means,substantially as described.

10. In a. wire-forming machine of the character described, thecombination of means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said suipplyinto lengt s, means to crimp the wire comprising a pair of corrugatedcause said rollers to approach one another and to separate to renderthem operative and inoperative on the wire thus permitt ng variations inthe number of crimps put m each section of the wire, gearing controllingthe action of said adjustable cam means and means permitting a change ofgear ratlo of said gearing to modify theaction of said crimping means,substantially as described.

11. In a wire-forming machine of the character described, thecombination of means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said supplyinto lengths, means controlling the action of said wire-feeding means,means to crimp the wire comprising a pair of corrugated rollers betweenwhich the wire passes, automatically-acting means-to cause said rollersto approach one another and to separate to render them operative andinoperative on the wire, gearing governmg the action of said controllingmeans and said roller operating means, and means permitting achange ofgear ratio of said gearing,

substantially as described.

12. In a wire-forming machine of the character described, thecombination, of means tofeed a wire-supply, means to sever said supplyinto lengths, adjustable automatically-actin tion' of said wire feedingmeans, means to crimp the wire comprising a pain of corrugated rollersbetween which the wire passes,- adjustable automatically-acting means tocause said rollers to approach one another and to separate to renderthem operative and inoperative on the wire, caring controlling theaction ofboth of sai adjustable means,

means controlling the acand means permitting a change of'gear ratio ofsaid gearing, substantially as described.

13. In a wire-forming machine 'ofv the character described, thecombination of means to feed a wire-supply, means tosever said supplyinto lengths, adjustable means governing the action of said severingmeans, adjustable means governing the action "of said feeding means,means to crimp -the wire comprising a pair of corrugated rollers betweenWhich the wire passes, adjustable means governing the action of saidcorrugated rollers on said wire by causing said rollers to approach oneanother and to separate thus permitting variations in the number ofcrimps put in each section of the wire, gearing controlling the actionof said three adjustable means, and means permitting a change of'gearratio of said gearing, substantially as described.

14. In a wire-forming machine of thecharacter described, the combinationof means to feed a wire-supply, means to sever said supply into lengths,adjustable automatically-acting cam means governing the action of saidfeeding means and said severing means, means to crimp the wirecomprising a pair of corrugated rollers between which the wire passes,adjustable automatically-acting cam' means governing the action of saidrollers on said i ire by causing said rollers to approach one anotherand to separate to render them operative and inoperative on the Wirethus permitting variations in the number of crimps put in each sectionof the wire, gearing controlling the action of said two adjustable cammeans, and

means permitting a change of gear ratio of said gearing, substantiallyas described.

WILLIAM W. VINCENT.

